Airbus CEO: We will learn from past mistakes

Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier says the company has learned from the troubled A350 launch

It will take on board any lessons to be learned from Boeing's Dreamliner problems too

Past mistakes have included outsourcing too much work to other companies, he said

Davos, Switzerland (CNN) -- The head of Airbus says the European aviation giant will take care to learn from its own mistakes -- and rival Boeing's -- ahead of the launch of its new widebody A350 aircraft.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos Thursday, Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier told CNN's Richard Quest that teething problems with the company's own A380 superjumbo -- which suffered from cracks in brackets inside the wings -- had proven instructive.

"We drew all the possible lessons from the A380," he said. "Sometimes we went too far on outsourcing work. We need to make sure we control the architecture of the aircraft so as to have the safest and best aircraft."

Successful development of new aircraft required "full transparency from our team," he said. "We also need to control some functions."

Airbus' A380 headaches have been overshadowed in recent times by main rival Boeing's troubled launch of its 787 Dreamliner.

All 50 Dreamliners in service around the world were grounded earlier this month after advanced lithium ion batteries on two planes ignited, prompting a Federal Aviation Administration investigation.

South African actress Charlize Theron picked up the 2013 World Economic Forum Crystal Award for her humanitarian work. The Oscar winner reportedly said: "There is such incredible brain trust in this room I feel I'm getting smarter by osmosis."

Microsoft co-founder turned global philanthropist Bill Gates was in town to promote the Global Fund against HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria campaign.

IMF boss Christine Lagarde and Italy's outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti having a presumably good chat during the forum.

A Davos meeting wouldn't be complete without a good protest. On the second to last day of the forum a Greenpeace activist dressed as a polar bear climbed the roof of a gas station to protest against global oil giant Shell.

Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, is all smiles during her session at the World Economic Forum.

British Prime Minister David Cameron gives the thumbs up on during his talk at the annual World Economic Forum. Cameron said that Britain was not turning its back on Europe, after angering his EU partners by announcing plans for a referendum on membership.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for her session on January 24, 2013.

Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger both spoke and attended sessions at the forum, as well as doing some obligatory finger pointing.

CNN's Richard Quest ran into London Mayor Boris Johnson on the streets of Davos.

The Swiss resort of Davos first hosted the World Economic Forum back in 1971 when a group of European business leaders met under the partronage of the European Commission and European industrial associations.

Like the Dreamliner, the A350 will be Airbus's first model to have its fuselage and wings primarily made of lightweight composite materials, and will also use lithium ion batteries, although from a different supplier.

Bregier said the A350's design would be "a very robust one," which would take into account any potential lessons to be learned from the Dreamliner's problems.

"If by chance there is a decision regarding the 787 which would impact us, we would of course embark on that. And we have plenty of time," he said.

The A350 is scheduled to make its first flight in mid- 2013, with deliveries due to customers the following year.

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga says his country will not negotiate with al Qaeda-linked Somali militants who have threatened to kill Kenyan hostages unless Nairobi releases all Muslims charged with terrorism.